Gaza journalist from a new Cannes documentary killed in air raid

Gaza journalist from a new Cannes documentary killed in air raid

Fatima Hassouna, a renowned war documentary who accompanied the conflicts in the Gaza Strip intensively for 18 months, came to one this week Israeli attack for life, together with seven members of her family. Her death falls together with the premiere of a new documentary about her life, which will be shown next month at the Film Festival in Cannes.

The legacy of Fatima Hassouna

In an Instagram post, Hassouna said in August 2024: "If I die, I want an impressive death. I don't want to appear in the news, nor do I want to be mentioned as a number in the group. I want the world to hear from my death that it leaves a lasting impression that survives the times." These words illustrate how much she fought for her work and the representation of reality in the Gaza Strip.

Family members survivors

The Ministry of Health in Gaza reported that Hassouna's parents survived the attack, but were seriously injured in an intensive care unit. The loss of Fatima not only shakes her family, but also the journalistic community.

A call to justice

The Palestinian Journalists ’Protection Center (PJPC) has mourned the loss of Hassouna and described the air raid on the house of her family in Al-Nafaq-Straße in Gaza as a" crime "against journalists and as a violation of international law. The PJPC emphasized: "Fatimas impressive photos that document life under siege were published globally and illuminate the human costs of the war."

The explanations of the Israeli forces

The Israeli defense forces (IDF) said that the goal of the attack was "a terrorist from the Hamas Brigade in Gaza City". It was also pointed out that measures were taken to minimize the risk of civilians. "The terrorist planned and carried out terrorist attacks against IDF troops and Israeli civilians," said a message.

Fatimas legacy and their influence

Fatima's cousin Hamza Hassouna described the moment of attack and the terrible consequences. She documented everyday life in the Gaza Strip on social media, where she had over 35,000 followers and held the horrors of life under Israeli bombing.

Documentary about Fatima Hassouna

She was also seen in Sepideh Farsi's documentary "Put Your Soul On Your Hand and Walk", which will be shown in the Acid area of ​​the 78th Film Festival in Cannes in May 2025. The director describes the film as a "window in the running massacre on the Palestinians" through a "miraculous encounter" with Fatima.

Farewell to a special personality

After the news of Hassouna's death, Farsi shared a photo of himself and Fatima on social media, on which Fatima smiles. "My last picture of her shows her smile. I stick to it today," wrote Farsi. In an interview, she said that Hassouna was a "very radiant and optimistic personality" and that she would have met very well for over a year as part of the documentary project.

Memory and processing

The PJPC reported that the number of journalists killed in Gaza has risen to 212 since October 7, 2023 - an unprecedented number according to various groups of journalists. The organization asked the international community to initiate investigations immediately and to be held accountable.

The last post by Fatima

Ared Ajur, neighbor of Hassouna, describes her as pride in her work and in question why the house was attacked. "We lived together for 35 years and never heard that she is connected to any group," she added. Hassouna's last post on her Facebook page was a series of photos of Gazafischer on Saturday, less than a week before her death, accompanied by a short poem about the city.

"From here you get to know the city. You enter it, but you don't leave it because you can't go," she wrote.

CNNS Lauren Izso contributed to reporting.